My Lucky Days: A Novel (44 page)

We pulled up in front of the grocery store. I watched him get out of the truck. I still liked to look at him. The way his jeans fit. The way the white button-up shirt was open at the throat—one more button than what was considered appropriate, teasing the outer edge of that tattoo on his chest. He didn’t care. He did what he wanted, running around in those expensive custom-made boots.

“Be right back.” He winked as he shut the door. Leaning back against the seat, I felt the bubbling happiness inside my heart. Every day had gotten a little bit easier with us until we felt completely normal too.

We had talked, filling in the pieces between us. We made a promise to never hide our feelings. No matter how painful. And yesterday, we made a promise to never walk away from each other. No matter what roadblocks might come our way. No matter what heartache might come in the future.

And with Sam, it was uncharted territory for both of us. Every day was a learning experience. One that I never regretted. Not even once. The three of us. We really were a little family. I loved them both so incredibly much.

“Katie?” I turned around, seeing him in his car seat. Sometimes he called me Katie and sometimes he called me Mom. He did the same with Lucky. We told him it didn’t matter. Call us what felt right.

I smiled at him. “Yeah?”

“We need music.”

“Okay.” I turned on the radio.

I heard his little voice in the backseat, singing along with the song. He may not understand the words, but he definitely knew them. Sam loved music. I don’t know if that was Lucky’s influence or something deeper in the family genes.

Lucky came out the automatic doors with a rainbow set of helium balloons. He flashed that famous smile as he reached the truck. Before the back door was even fully open, I heard Sam’s giggles coming from behind me. “Balloons! Can I have them? Please. I said please.”

“Hold on, little buddy. I’ve got to tie them up so they don’t fly around in here.”

“After the party, I’m keeping them in my room. I can keep them, right? Please? After the party?”

Lucky laughed. “Yeah, you can keep them.”

The back door shut, and he climbed in the driver’s seat. I rolled my eyes and smiled at him. “You could have gotten one, and he would have been just as happy.”

“Why get just one when you can get ten?” He grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. As we pulled out of the parking lot, he lifted my fingers up, kissing each one.

That’s the way we drove home, surrounded by music playing in the truck and one little voice, laughing as he held on to his colorful balloons.

I felt it all around us. A love bigger than heartache, deeper than an ocean, stronger than rope, and brighter than a firecracker.

That was us.

Five Years Later

T
he smell of popcorn filled the air as I opened the antique machine. This went on the list of my ridiculous purchases. But you couldn’t have a theater room without popcorn. Using the little scoop, I filled the red-and-white striped boxes.

“Hurry up. It’s starting. You have to hurry.”

“I’m coming, Sam.” I turned around, looking at the crowd of people gathered at our house. “Here. Help me hand these out.”

“Okay, Mom.” His eyes were just as big and bright as they always had been when he got excited. Just a little bit older. “But we have to hurry. We’re going to miss him.”

“I know. Let’s move fast.”

We had spared nothing in this room. The giant screen was almost as big as the one in an actual theater. The bottom row had two couches and the tiered levels had actual reclining seats.

As Sam and I passed out the popcorn, I smiled, feeling the emotions building in my heart. The room was packed. They were all here for the watch party. Colleen. Colt and Callie. Zach and his girlfriend. Hannah and Jake. Chris and Willa. And everyone’s kids. Including ours.

I leaned over, giving Sunnie Evans a little kiss on the cheek as I picked her up from the floor. My little sunshine had turned two just a few weeks ago.

The screen changed from the dishwashing detergent commercial to the red carpet. I was nervous for him. This was it. The comeback. Five years was a lifetime for radio play, awards, and concerts. Since he’d left, hundreds of new people had tried to break into the business. New guys had dominated the charts. Even the radio stations had different DJs. So many things had changed in five years.

“Has it already started?”

“No, they just started showing the red carpet.” I turned around, seeing Peyton come through the door with Carl.

She’d met him in line at Starbucks. He thought she was hilarious and brought her roses on the first date. A dozen red roses. And it was an actual real first date. I’m not sure my dear friend had ever been on a real first date. After he dropped her off at her apartment door, she’d called me crying with tears of excitement.

“Aunt Peyton, sit with us!” Sam was scooting over on the couch down in the front section. He was always so animated. And sweet. That kid had a heart as big as Texas. And he loved Peyton. Those two could spend hours laughing, which was good. Carl and Peyton would have their own in about four months.

I was still in shock. But I think it would be okay. Some might even consider her a responsible adult now. She was happy and with a person who treated her like a queen.

I shifted Sunnie around on my lap. My little miracle girl. Every day, I had been terrified while Lucky acted confident and optimistic. But I knew. I saw it in his eyes. He’d been just as afraid as me. But everything had gone perfect. Absolutely perfect.

I buried my nose in her brown hair, smelling the baby shampoo. I loved her so very much. And part of me wanted to love another one. Lucky wanted another one. I just wasn’t sure. Maybe. After the tour.

Lucky was ready to get back. We’d made a good run at it. Five years of normal with birthday parties, cookouts, fishing trips that started before sunrise, dinners with his family, and Saturday morning pancakes in bed. We even did our shopping at Walmart with Sam hanging off the cart.

I still taught school. I’m not sure I would ever walk away from it. Those little sweet faces called to me each fall. But it was easier now, letting them go in the spring. Maybe it was my home with my own children that made my life finally feel complete.

Even though Lucky walked away from the stage, he never stopped writing songs. He had piles of them scribbled across pages in his practice studio. And about two years ago, he decided to learn to play the banjo. Something he had dreamed of doing since touring with Keith Urban. It wasn’t as sexy as the guitar when he sang to me late at night in our bed, but I loved every note he played anyway.

Some days, Lucky even pulled on a baseball cap and headed out with Colt to the construction sites. His brother said he still couldn’t stain a cabinet without leaving streaks. But it was good. They loved spending time together again. I half-expected to see pictures at the checkout line with the headline: “Landon Evans Hits Rock Bottom.” But it never happened. He had successfully slipped away, and the reporters didn’t care anymore about digging up a scandal.

“There he is!” Sam yelled.

I stared at the giant screen on the wall, looking at my husband—looking at Landon Evans. His hair was slicked back with gel. The dark jeans clung to his hips. And under the tuxedo jacket, his black button-up shirt was open at the throat, revealing several necklaces hanging against his chest. It was a little weird seeing him like this again.

The star.

Lucky flashed that famous smile as the reporter put the mic in front of him. He was nervous. But only I saw that in his eyes. The world saw the singer. The guy who could rock an entire stadium. The two-time Grammy winner.

“Landon Evans. So this is your first appearance in five years. You’ve got a new album coming out. And you’re performing tonight. What can you tell us?”

He laughed. “Well, first, I am so excited to be back. I’ve missed y’all.”

The reporter in the gold sparkly dress laughed as a few people clapped around him.

“But seriously. Album drops next week. It’s called
Lucky
. And I have loved writing every song on it. I’m playing a couple of them tonight.” He winked. “You’ll be the first to hear.”

I saw her blush. That giant screen just amplified it. “Well, I’ve personally been waiting for this. I’m sure everyone out there is excited to have you back too.”

“Thanks.”

She smiled again. “So who’s the lucky lady here with you tonight?”

The camera panned a little to the left, showing a tall girl with gorgeous upswept hair and a black sequin dress. She looked absolutely beautiful. “This is my niece Mia. And we want to say hi to everyone back home who is watching. Love ya.”

The whole theater room cheered, and my eyes watered up as I whispered silently to myself, “Love you too.”

The camera moved on to the next country star. And we were left to wait until his performance. Sunnie eventually fell asleep in my arms. I should’ve put her in bed, but part of me wanted to just hold her. I wanted all of us to be together tonight for the show.

The stage changed over and over again, from performers to award winners—and then it happened. The screen filled with a guy on a stool and a single guitar. The slow notes from his fingers, captivating the auditorium full of people. I knew what he was playing. We all did. I looked over at Colleen, and she looked back at me. He was playing her song first.

I saw the kindness shining in her eyes,

On a dark and windy August night.

Standing by a church, so afraid.

Wasn’t sure if I’d ever be all right.

But she took me in and took me home.

Gave me a name.

And a world of my own.

And all that I could ever need,

’Cause she’s the mama that chose me.

We may not be blood,

But that never mattered to me.

’Cause when I’d fall down,

She still wiped off my knees.

She always held me tight.

And told me I’d be all right.

Taught me to say my prayers.

And always kissed me good night.

And said she’d never leave,

’Cause she’s the mama that chose me.

I know she sacrificed freedom and money,

Just to give me a home.

Made sure I was a little boy

Who felt wanted and loved.

When she could have said no.

She even taught me to ride a bike.

And said I could be anyone I wanted to be,

’Cause she’s the mama that chose me.

Now I’ve grown up,

And I’ve got a beautiful wife.

Got my own little boy.

I love our crazy life.

Playin’ stages and writing’ songs.

Playin’ basketball and fishin’.

With my son in the early dawn.

But I wouldn’t be this man that you see,

Without the mama that chose me.

I wiped away the tears. Colleen was using a tissue from her purse. Her face was full of emotion and love. I saw the same from Colt and even Callie. We all knew it was coming, but hearing it on live television made the impact even larger.

The stage went black, and he disappeared.

And then I heard the drums. A loud, steady beat, over and over again.

The lights flickered like lightning as the band spread out across the stage. Lucky was standing in front of the mic. He raised his hands above his head, clapping to the beat. Clark hit the sticks and the electric guitar joined low and steady. The camera panned to the cheering crowd.

The whole band kicked into a loud, rocking song as the official music video for
Cool Creek Water
rolled across the back screens, showcasing the world premiere of his first new single.

Well, there’s a party by the creek off Turner Road.

The trucks are parked and ready to go.

Those Kenwoods are bumping deep and low.

The beer is iced and already cold.

I said, hey y’all, let’s make some noise.

The girls are out here flirtin’ with the boys.

And when the sun goes down,

The night just gets hotter.

We’ll be skinny dippin’ in the cool creek water.

The bed of my truck, it keeps on a rockin’.

With people dancin, there ain’t no stopping’.

And in the sky, there’s fireworks a’poppin’.

If the cab’s locked, don’t come knockin’.

I said, hey y’all, let’s make some noise.

The girls are out here flirtin’ with the boys.

And when the sun goes down,

The night just gets hotter.

We’ll be skinny dippin’ in the cool creek water.

I smiled. It wasn’t his best, deep-rooted lyrical song. But it was the right choice. This would get attention. This would pull the fans back in and compete for radio play. And it was fun. Because sometimes people just needed to hear something fun.

Just like the music video that played in the background. The film crew had actually shot it out on Lucky’s land, starring a bunch of the locals. People were dancing in truck beds, hanging on rope swings as they plunged into the pond water. Girls were playing chicken while propped up on shoulders. Several guys were on the back of a tailgate drinking. And that neon beach ball kept flying through the air. It was a summer night party.